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Preston Chronicle
Saturday July 7th 1838
Midsummer Quarter Sessions

Trials
John Hargreaves, aged 33, pleaded guily to stealing at Burnley, on the 19th June, ten cotton cops, the property of John Spencer and John Moore. The court ordered the prisoner to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for six calendar months.

John Rushton, 33, and John Shaw, 36, both very respectable looking men, were put to the bar, charged with stealing, at Burnley, on the 24th of June, two hens, the property of Ellen Baldwin. Mr Hulton appeared for the prosecution, and Mr Brandt defended the prisoner. Mr Hulton stated the case to the following effect:- That on the night of the alleged robbery, the prisoners who were somewhat in liquor at the time, were met by one of the witnesses, having in their possession the two hens which at the time were dead; they did not object to give them up, and owned they had been having a "lark," and said that the hens were their own property. All the witnesses for the prosecution gave the prisoners a good character, and Mr Brandt addressed the jury in their favour, in a very able and ingenious speech, in which he characterized the matter as a mere injudictious and foolish act of mischief on the part of the prisoners, and there was not the slightest intention on the part of either, of committing any fraud. the prosecutrix had admitted that both the men were of good character, and that she had frequently had dealings with Rushton in the way of selling his hens. The learned chairman having summed up the evidence, the jury found the prisoners guilty, and they were severally sentenced to be imprisoned to hard labour for one month.

Henry Smith, 21, pleaded guilty to stealing at Briercliffe-with-Extwistle, in the early part of June, a quantity of hens and chickens, the property respectively of William Eastwood, of Briercliffe, and of Joseph Halstead, of Marsden. The chairman addressed the prisoner, commenting on the number of his offences, and sentenced him to twelve months' imprisonment and hard labour in Lancaster Castle.

William Twist, 44, was charged with having in his possession at Burnley, fifteen counterfeit half-crowns, three shillings, and three pennies, knowing the same to be false and counterfeit-Not guilty.

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Mel

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